NEW YORK (April 1, 2016) – Arizona Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.

NEW YORK (April 1, 2016) – Edmonton Oilers forward Nail Yakupov has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.

added 2:07pm,

NEW YORK (April 1, 2016) – Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri has been fined a total of $5,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.

A team that was expected to finish at the bottom of the standings coming into the year, the Arizona Coyotes have opened the season by winning three of four games.

The biggest excitement comes from rookie wingers Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, who have combined to score seven of the team’s 13 goals.

Other difference-makers include veteran centre Martin Hanzal, who has seven assists, and goaltender Mike Smith, who has a .953 save percentage.

While none of this early production appears to be remotely sustainable, a hot Mike Smith could make a major difference. For example, the difference between Smith’s 2011-2012 season, when he had a career-high .930 save percentage, and last season, when he had a .904 save percentage, was approximately a 55-goal difference according to Hockey Reference.

GLENDALE – Coyotes center Martin Hanzal is slated to have back surgery and likely will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

“Marty is going to have a procedure on his back next week, which will put him week-to-week and in all likelihood finish his season,” General Manager Don Maloney said Thursday. “The good thing is he’ll have time to recover and we’ll get him back as soon as possible. The likelihood of him returning this season is remote but we do anticipate a full recovery.”

Hanzal, an alternate captain who has played only 37 of the team’s 55 games this season, has been sidelined since Jan. 29. Despite playing with the nagging injury, he ranks tied for sixth on the team with eight goals and tied for seventh with 24 points.

“It's been something he's had for the last two or three seasons and it has gotten progressively worse,” Maloney said. “We can't keep doing this. We have to find a solution. He's still a young man. We've got to get him better. We need to get him where he's healthy and can help us win.”

NEW YORK (Jan. 17, 2014) – Phoenix Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal has been fined $5,000 for high-sticking Vancouver Canucks forward David Booth during NHL Game No. 720 in Phoenix on Thursday, Jan. 16, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 15:55 of the third period. Hanzal was assessed a double-minor penalty for high-sticking on the play.

The Stars official stance on Jamie Benn is that he will be “re-assessed” on Sunday after a hard hit by Phoenix’s Martin Hanzal in the final two minutes of Dallas’ 2-1 loss to the Coyotes Saturday. They are not listing any injury at this time.

While the Stars won’t say it, they definitely are concerned about a potential concussion for Benn.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed forward Martin Hanzal to a five-year contract extension. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are very pleased to sign Martin to a five-year contract extension,” said Maloney. “Martin is a big, strong, skilled center and a core member of our team. He contributes at both ends of the ice and we are confident he will continue to improve to become one of the NHL’s best two-way centers.”

Last season, the 6-foot-6, 236 pound Hanzal appeared in 61 regular season games for the Coyotes, registering 16-10-26 and 54 penalty minutes (PIM). He established new career highs in goals (16), game-winning goals (5), power play goals (7) and hits (147). Hanzal appeared in all four games of the Western Conference Quarter-Final against Detroit, recording his first career postseason goal along with two assists and eight PIM.

Irate after a video review failed to overturn a second-period goal by the Phoenix Coyotes, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi and coach Terry Murray publicly called out the NHL review crew in Toronto after the Kings’ 2-0 loss to the Coyotes.

The disputed play took place 8:48 into the second period of a then-scoreless game. Phoenix’s Martin Hanzal, stationed in front the net, lifted his stick and knocked the puck out of the air and past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.

On-ice officials immediately called it a good goal, and after a video review of more than five minutes, the crew in Toronto, led by Mike Murphy, the NHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations, ruled that the goal would stand.

“When the guy in Toronto making the decisions on the goals, in Ottawa and the one tonight, wanted the G.M.‘s job in L.A. and was not happy about not getting it, you have to assume you are going to get those type of calls,’’ Lombardi said. “However, we have put ourselves in a position where these calls have a monumental effect on our season, and we’re going to have to find a way out of it ourselves.’‘